Sea Stories of Sidewinder—The Jolly Wrenches First Female Flier
by Grumman Tomcat
Summary: The adventures and misadventures of the Jolly Wrenches first female Flier.
1. Chapter 1

**Preface**

**Notes on Sidewinder**

She is based off of the US Navy F-14 Tomcat—an aircraft with curvy lines that many sailors and pilots find very attractive. They assign to her many female attributes, but at the same time she's not to be trifled with. I though this shape would make a excellent female counterpart to the type that Echo and Bravo are. Meet Sidewinder, the Jolly Wrenches newest flier.

**Her First Carrier Trap**

"Ok, don't hyperventilate," Ensign Katrin "Sidewinder" Murphy said to herself as she entered the race track pattern, tail hook down, to land on the Flysenhower. The whole idea of snagging a wire with that hook under her tail was less than appealing. Now she was on approach with wings spread, flaps down, wheels down and air brakes open. She felt like all her petticoats were hanging out for all the guys to see.

"You're low, Sir," said the LSO's voice. "More power"

Sidewinder decided not to correct him. They would discover soon enough that she was a girl. She applied more power. "More right," said the LSO. Sidewinder was watching the colored lights on the left side of the fight deck. The yellow light was called the Meatball. She had to keep that yellow meatball lined up the the row of green lights. She tried to concentrate on that Meatball and not what the wire was going to feel like stopping her.

It was working at least for the little while. "Rodger Ball". the LSO called. "You doing good, there Insign Murphy". But that was when she had her meltdown. The flight deck seemed to rush up. She started to squeal. She was sure all the fellas on board heard her. _Bang_! Her wheels slammed into the flight deck and she slid to a stop. There was no hard yank at her tail. Her head visibly sagged down lower on her nose wheel as she breathed a sigh of relief. The cable was wrapped around her 'shins'.

"That was _the worst_ landing I have ever seen!" Bravo shouted. "You're gonna have to work on those landings, Ensign".. then he stopped himself. "You're a _girl_?"

"We never had one of those before," said Echo.

"Scoot, show her to her quarters," Bravo ordered.

Scoot had a yellow helmet emblazoned with a snail. He looked rather dirty too. "Hello I am Melvin "Scoot" Thompson".

The other fliers snickered. It was obvious Scoot was the laughing stock.

"Hey Scoot. Looks like you finally have a Wing Man, or is that Wing Woman?" asked Scrappy with the green helmet. The others laughed as Scoot showed Sidewinder to the hangar elevator.

"Never mind them," he said. "I'll show you some flying tricks when we do our exercises. I even show you how to make the landing a little softer".

Sidewinder was having a few doubts as the elevator started down. Did this guy really have it together?

Sidewinder was shown a corner in the hangar bay. She followed Scooter toward it. That would her spot for the duration of the cruise. Two Pittys were already setting up. One turned. He was Aviation Mechanic First Class Mathers. His eyes got wide. "Ooh I didn't know our charge would be—um-soo beautiful!"

The other Pitty was Air Framer Second Class Rogers. "Let me have a look at you", he said. "Open up."

Sidewinder opened her mouth and also her refueling probe on the right side. "I see, we already got a silly one. _Mouth_." Rogers proceeded to peer into her mouth. He closed her mouth and pushed up on her little jaw. Her looked at her transparent tear drop bubble head. We'll have to see about fabricating a flight helmet that will fit you. They don't seem to make them for girl's heads".

"Oh but that is such a beautiful head," said Scooter.

"We still need to paint her up and dress her up as a Jolly Wrench.

The elevator was dropping down into the bay again with two fighters on it Scrappy and his wing man Speed.

"So how are you liking your new assignment, Ensign Powder Puff is it?" said Speed.

Sidewinder gritted her jaw and said nothing.

"Oh she's the bright new arrival that caught the wire with her shins," said Scrappy. "Her tail hook must not work".

Everyone in the hangar bay burst into laughter. Sidewinder's head sagged down on her nose wheel.


	2. Chapter 2

**Putting on Jolly Wrench colors**.

"Didn't your mother tell you not to powder your face?" The yellow Pitty, Rogers scolded. "Anyways, what _do you_ have in that carry can under your chest?"

"It's a _blivet_," Sidewinder said with a smile. "They say it carries two hundred pounds of stuff in a fifty pound space. That why it's a blivet".

"You're pulling my wheel. It's a glorified purse. You won't be wearing that on duty," Rogers said crossing his lift arms. "Back to what I was saying. Take a good look at yourself in that mirror".

Sidewider looked at herself in the mirror on wall. She had to beg to get that mirror put up.

"See those three 'kitty whiskers' you got on each cheek? Those are pitot tubes. They help you fly. Get make up in them and you'll be a world of hurt.

"Now we need to get you dressed up in your Squadron colors". Rogers picked up off his tool box a yellow helmet with a visor. On both sides was an picture of a snake. "I worked all night on this beauty".

"Why a snake and not a pair of shins? Isn't her call sign going to be _Shins_? asked Scrappy.

Rogers scowled. "With all due respect Sir, she already has a call sign".

Rogers picked up the helmet. Sidewinder knelt on her nose wheel while Rogers slid it onto her smooth head. He tightened it down.

"Oow!" Sidewinder protested. "It's squeezing my head".

"We can't have it falling off you, now could we?" Rogers asked as he lowered the dark visor over her hazel eyes. "Now you won't have a problem with the sun blinding you either. Take a look".

Sidewinder looked at herself in the mirror and scowled. "I don't look pretty anymore".

"You'll look better when we get your victory stripes on you". Rodgers said.

"Victory stripes?" Sidewinder asked.

"Yeah these, _Moron_!" Scrappy said pointing the the yellow and black stripe on his cheek with the Jolly Wrenches on it".

Rodgers just scowled at Scrappy as he pulled out his stencils. Another junior Pitty was applying tape around the base of her twin tails. "What are you doing?" Sidewinder asked.

"He's gonna paint your tails black," Rodgers explained. "You're gonna look just like your Squadron mates".

"She'll never look completely like us," Scrappy said. "She got a girl's tail and wings".

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sidewinder protested.

"Your wings move in and out, not up and down. You look like a silly Turkey when you are landing with those flap things you got on the top and the bottom".

"Air brakes," she corrected.

She felt that cold paint being sprayed on her face through the stencils and onto her tail. It stunk. She coughed a little. After what seemed like forever, Rodgers set his stencils down and announced happily, There! You look mighty fine!" She could feel the recruit behind her taking off the tape. The tape stung as he pulled it off her skin. "Oww! she protested.

"Take a look at yourself now," Rogers encouraged pushing up the visor for her.

Sidewinder frowned at her reflection. The visor slid back down on its own with a _clack_. "Ouch!"

"Flying with her? This is gonna be rich," said Scrappy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Why You Wear A Flight Helmet**

Sidewinder was not near as afraid of the catapult as she was of the arresting cable. She knelt down on her nose wheel and placed the little launch bar attached to it in the catapult shuttle. A jet blast deflector was raised behind her. She let long flames shoot out her tail. She was then flung into the air. She flew upward gracefully with her wings spread.

Sidewinder loved flying. Once she was well into the air she did a flip.

"Oh we got ourselves a goofball!" It was Scrappy pulling up alongside her. "Did you know horseplay is for horses—not Jet Fighters?"

"Why don't you just leave her alone!" said Scoot pulling up to the other side of her. "Besides she's my flight partner".

"Wing Woman," snickered Scrappy. "I'll leave you two losers to yourselves".

"Is he always that way?" asked Sidewinder.

"He's that way to the new members of the Squadron. I checked in a month ago. He's bullied the Pitties into not washing me".

"Oh Dear!" Sidewinder exclaimed.

"You may end up being a dirty bird too since you are a junior Jet", Scoot explained.

"I don't know if Rogers will go for that. He seem pretty picky," Sidewinder replied. "He got all on my case about me powdering my face".

"Oh the little things on your cheeks. Yeah," said Scoot. "Better listen to him. You don't want to get dirt or powder in those things. My sister did and her wings cramped up real bad! After a trip to the doctor she was wearing hot pads on her back for three days. In fact Rogers might be making covers for you to wear on them".

"That's just great, as if this bulky helmet wasn't bad enough," Sidewinder complained.

Echo and Bravo joined up with the four jets. "Today you fellas and lady will be doing refueling practice. We need to break our new squadron mate in on air refueling. Be nice to her, boys", Bravo admonished.

Scrappy got an evil look in his eyes when the two tankers appeared on the horizon. One was lagging behind the other. The lagging tanker was brown mottled looking and he flew on the right. "This is gonna be rich!" Scrappy said with an evil grin.

Scrappy flipped over putting himself on the left side of the formation. His wing man Speed followed suit. "OK, said Scrappy. "We will take the green tanker- Henry, Sidewinder and Scoot get the brown one, Wally".

There was a reason why Scrappy and Speed didn't want to drink from Wally's hoses, especially the one under his right wing.

As the six Jets approached, they could see that Wally had himself painted up as 'Wally's Flying Soup Kitchen'. Under each wing was a fuel tank with a hose that reeled out. Wally's tanks looked like they needed a fresh coat of paint. This made Sidewinder frown. Wally didn't take care of his gear.

"Ok fellas," Wally began. "You approach the basket on the end of the hose _slowly_. These little guys do not like it when you march up to them too fast. They might smack you in the face. Go slowly like a butterfly drinking nectar. Put out your little bug tongues, plug in and put a slight bend in the hose".

Sidewinder scowled as she looked at that basket. Did she _really_ want to drink from that? Drinking like a butterfly. That was degrading even for her. Her mother had taught her to keep her probe in. She remembered the times when Mother scrubbed her probe door out with soap when she was caught sticking it out in public. It was rude to stick it out.

"What's the matter Ensign Shins? Your probe broke too?" Scrappy mocked.

Sidewinder gritted her teeth and opened up her probe. She approached that metal basket. Just as she was about to stick her probe in to get a drink, the hose started to flail and hit her across the helmet and visor with that metal basket. Her probe door clapped shut and she rolled away from that wild hose.

"Wally, keep you wild snake in line," She scolded.

"Speed, you will take Wally's number two hose," Bravo ordered.

"Why me?" Speed complained.

"Because you have more experience," Bravo explained. "Sidewinder, you will take number two hose on Henry".

Sidewinder's vision was a bit streaky from the scratches on her visor. But she could still see to line up with Henry's hose on the right side. She extended her probe again. She approached that metal basket. She squinted half expecting it to smack her in the face. But it just floated there in the air allowing her to plug her probe into the hose. The flow of sweet fuel started. Refreshing. She did feel like an insect drinking nectar! She took her time drinking until she was full. Then she backed away and closed up her probe.

"Did good there, Sidewinder," Bravo encouraged.

"The trick is going to be getting back on the boat," she said.

"We are going to be doing some flight exercises, to burn off some that gas before we make you land," Bravo said. "We don't make you trap with a full belly".

"Thank you," she said.

"The next phase of this training exercise you will enjoy", said Echo.

Sidewinder felt the tension in her wings starting to leave. For the first time since checking aboard the Jolly Wrenches, she thought she might enjoy herself.

**You'll have to wait and see what happens in the next installment. Things are starting to look up for our Lady Jet Fighter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sea Legs**

The six fighters flew out over the water away from the two tankers. Wally looked at Sidewinder. "My fuel hose smacked a lady?" He felt a sense of shame. I guess I am gonna have to have George pull these tanks apart and fix them".

Henry and Wally watched as the six fighters flew away.

"Now you boys need to break the new flier into the tricks of maneuvering. Don't be mean or rude," Echo instructed. " Fly in a diamond formation. Sidewinder, I want you to follow them at the back of the diamond".

Scrappy grinned again. "That Turkey can't maneuver like us. We'll lose her real fast. I don't think she can even fly as fast as us either".

Scrappy took the point of the diamond and Speed flew on his right. Scrappy immediately led the formation straight up. "Up Jolly Wrenches," he called out. Sidewinder stayed glued to the back of that diamond like a stout soldier. Scrappy led the four through a loop. Sidewinder stayed with them. She started to smile, especially when Scrappy ordered the diamond into a slow roll.

"Is she still back there?" Scrappy asked Speed.

"Yup," Speed said. "Why don't you try the 'Lulu'?"

"Some of you guys can even do that one". Scrappy said.

"Well we might lose both the Scooter and Shins".

Scrappy started the weave in and out. Scooter broke away. He had not had enough flight practice to do those crazy moves. But Sidewinder stayed glued to Scrappy and Speed. She remembered the flying lessons of her mother. Lobelia Murphy, wife of Rear Admiral James 'Dash' Murphy had been a firm but gentle mentor to her daughter. Her mother had taught her all kinds of maneuvers. Her big wings and her flat belly between her engines made her maneuver more like a slower plane.

Scrappy was starting to get frustrated. She rolled over upside down in the air and looked down at Scrappy. "Are you done with this little game? I grew up with a mother who is a skilled flier. Want to try with me in the lead?. Want to make a deal?"

"Why not," said Scrappy.

"If you can't keep up with me, let the Pitties wash and give Scoot fresh paint. Stop bullying them".

"That's a deal".

"Now don't follow too close". Sidewinder cautioned. She skimmed along the water with long white flames shooting from her exhaust. Vapor coming off her wings as they swept back. She was picking up speed. Scrappy heard and felt the air go _BANG_ from the sonic boom. Scrappy's eyes grew wide as he struggled to keep up. The shock wave behind Sidewinder was kicking up a rooster tail of water. She started to climb picking up more speed. Scrappy lagged behind. Now Sidewinder was looping up around in a big circle. She caught up to Scrappy and passed him. She waved her wings at him.

"Yay!", Scoot was saying. Scrappy was gritting his teeth knowing he lost.

The fighters formed up again. Sidewinder dropped down beside Scrappy. "No hard feelings," she said.

"That was some flying," Echo said to her.

"You still have to land on the ship," Scrappy said with an evil grin. "Gonna catch the wire with your shins again?"

Bravo dropped down beside Sidewinder. He couldn't see her eyes through her visor, but he anticipated that she might freeze up again.

"You know that every Navy Fighter Jet has a tail hook. You were born with it. Your father has one, and your mother has one. When the baby is delivered with that little stripy hook they know she is a Navy baby. It means you have sea water in your veins. You have Sea Legs. Without it, you would fall off the bow of the ship".

"But Mother never landed on a ship," Sidewinder replied.

"You don't know that," Bravo replied. "Your father is Dash Murphy. Did you know the Flysenhower would have Family day? Your father taught your mother how to land on the ship. Oh and that girlish shape of yours gives you a slower landing speed than the guys".

"And you fly real fast like Dash," Echo added.

"No need to be scared of landing. It doesn't hurt," Scoot encouraged.

"Can I go first? I still want to get it over with," Sidewinder asked. She could see the Flysenhower on the horizon.

"Hooks down Airman and get into the Hawk Circle. Sidewinder, you go first," Bravo instructed.

The term _Hawk Circle_ did put a smile on Sidewinder's face and she dropped her hook. She learned the term in school. It was a term for the planes waiting their turn to land.

_Sea Legs_. She turned those words over in her mind as she opened her wings again, lowered her flaps and wheels. She opened her air brakes last. The LSO started to talk her in. "More power", he said. She applied more power. That lined up the yellow ball with the green lights. _Sea Legs_, repeated in her mind. Her gentle soft spoken mother had landed on this ship? Somehow that had encouraged her.

She kept staring at that yellow light. The deck rushed up. She gritted her teeth, but she didn't squeal this time. _Bang_! Her wheels slammed into the deck. Her hook grabbed the number three wire. She felt the fuel in her belly sloshing as she was jolted to the stop. She was wondering if her eyes were going to come rolling out of her head. But mercifully the wire slacked off. She lifted her hook and let the cable drop. Rogers was there signalling her off the landing area and to the flight deck elevator. She followed him to the elevator. As it dropped to the hangar Rogers finally spoke. "Look like your helmet took a beating from that fuel hose. Better the helmet than your head".

The elevator stopped at the hangar bay. She followed Rogers off. He took a screw driver and loosened the helmet. He slid it off her head. The air hitting her head felt refreshing.

"I am going to have to work the night repairing this thing". Rogers explained.

A few minutes later after several banging noises above the ceiling. Sidewinder heard the elevator again. On it was Scoot and Speed. Scoot just stared when he saw her without the helmet. The lights of the hanger reflected off her shiny bubble head.

"Psst, Scoot, You got to get ready for the wash job," Speed reminded. Then he looked to Sidewinder with new respect in his eyes. "Congratulations on a great flight today".


End file.
